I'll Manage
by Mel Writer
Summary: Summary: Tsuna is stood up for a date and, after waiting for the man for an absurd length of time, he goes to leave, only to find someone far more intriguing sitting in a booth not too far from his own. This story leads up to "I'll Take It" but you don't have to read that to understand this story. If anything, this gives context to the other. Rated T for mature themes and words.


"I'll manage."

Summary: Tsuna is stood up for a date and, after waiting for the man for an absurd length of time, he goes to leave, only to find someone far more intriguing sitting in a booth not too far from his own. This story leads up to "I'll Take It" but you don't have to read that to understand this story. if anything, this gives context to the other. Rated T for mature themes and words.

Warning; ... not much. Swearing? Mild mentions of a mother in a mental breakdown. And OOC characters.

So, this is the looooong ass prequel that happens some time before 'I'll Take It', though how long, I'm not sure yet. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own KHR.

* * *

Tsuna sat back on his seat, slouched in a way he knew his tutor from years ago would have slapped him over. He couldn't help it though! He was so bored. He threw a glance at the empty seat across from him and pulled out his phone, checking the time and half wishing he had given his number to his supposed date, just so he could text the man that he was a coward for never showing. He tisked and glared at his device.

7:58. Nearly 2 hours since his date was supposed to be there, and _clearly_ , Tsuna had been stood up. Which, really, the brunette should have seen coming.

Hell, the guy Tsuna had ( _s_ _tupidly,_ _so stupidly_ ) agreed to a date with had been the same bastard that had bullied him in middle school. Mochida Kensuke, the same guy who pushed Tsuna down, threw mental abuse around like the words never really did damage, who even actually beat Tsuna once, just to prove to a girl he liked that he was strong. (Which back fired on him, and made the girl hate him more and actually made Tsuna the good guy in her eyes. Idiot.)

The abuse and trauma only halted when Tsuna moved away, to another country no less, when his mother had a mental break down, demanding to see his father again or she would kill herself, and take Tsuna with her. Thankfully, Iemitsu took this seriously and came back to Namimori, running into the house just as Nana held the knife to Tsuna's throat, Tsuna's failed attempts to save himself littered in thin slices across his arms. Nana had reacted to the door opening, throwing the knife into the wall with enough force that it stuck, cried "Darling! Iemitsu, you're home!" and ran into his arms.

He held her tight for a moment while shock set in, eyes never leaving his bleeding, trembling, shell-shocked and crying son huddled in the corner of the living room. He knocked out his happily humming wife, picked her up and laid her out on the couch. He turned to Tsuna, circled his arms around him and held him close, whispered apology after apology for not coming back more, for not getting there sooner, for not being a proper husband or father. Tsuna barely registered what he was saying, instead he merely held the man's shirt in a death grip, keeping him close as he sobbed. Tsuna only remembered who the man was after he had calmed down, his mind foggy since he hadn't seen the man in nearly 8 years.

Iemitsu had cleaned out the house, directing everything as men Tsuna had never seen before moved his life as he knew it out of Namimori, Japan, and re-settled him in Barcelona, Italy. Nana received medical treatment for her break down, and Tsuna received a home tutor by the name of Reborn. The wounds he suffered thankfully never reached his nerves, but they did slice muscle and, in his left arm, tendon. The brunette couldn't hold a pencil for two months, and couldn't write properly for three after that. In less than a year, however, Tsuna had become mostly fluent in Italian (both written and spoken) and he was back up to snuff, academically, with the rest of his age range (which was better than his grades had ever been, thank you Reborn). It was after that that Tsuna found out about his heritage through his father, and he began to be taught all he would need to know to take over the Vongola. He learned politics, how to charm people, how to do paper work, and how to fight.

It became apparent that Tsuna's ability to fight was more important than originally intended, as a man named Xanxus wanted the title Tsuna was being nearly forced to take. They fought, the battle turned bloody almost instantly, and it ended hours later, with only one clear winner.

That clear winner was the seemingly resurrected eldest son of Nono's, coming in to claim the title as his half way through the fight, and nearly killing both Tsuna and Xanxus for it.

Tsuna's life happily calmed down after that, and even though Reborn had to become the Tenth's tutor, he still made time for Tsuna once or twice a week to help him through the Italian school work, should he be stuck on anything. Tsuna graduated and decided that, instead of jumping directly into an internship working under his father with the hopes of taking over the External Adviser position, he moved back to Namimori, believing he would spend a few years soul searching in his home town, coming to terms with how horrible life had been, and how amazing it was now. He kissed his sedated mother's forehead, whispered a small goodbye, and left Italy for the only place he had ever called home.

His best friend, Gokudera Hayato, came with him, in hopes of running away from Italy and the Mafia for a while. Gokudera was supposed to be Tsuna's right hand man, and storm Guardian, but since Tsuna was no longer the next Boss of Vongola, he was offered the position of secondary storm to the new boss. He declined, much to the shock of all but Tsuna (and probably Reborn) and made it clear that he was Tsuna's right hand, even if he wasn't going to be the boss of anything anymore.

Tsuna had also kept in contact with a friend in Namimori, Yamamoto Takeshi, a young man Tsuna had stopped from suicide nearly 3 weeks before his mother's melt down. Tsuna mentioned coming back to Namimori and Yamamoto tentatively asked if he could move in with him when he came back. He needed to get out of his father's house and Tsuna coming back was perfect timing with his new status as a student at Naminori's University.

So, together, Yamamoto, Gokudera and Tsuna got a three bedroom apartment in Namimori and both Tsuna and Gokudera got jobs to support it (though Tsuna knew neither of them really needed to get jobs, they had plenty of money between Gokudera's inheritance and Tsuna's father's guilt.) Yamamoto was sponsored for a full ride through University for Baseball, and with his increasing work load he could only help the other two so much with rent and other expenses. It made Yamamoto feel bad, but Tsuna tried his best to make the other see that he was accepted. He was in school, after all. There was no need to be pressured to help around their home. (Besides, the baseball player was the only one among them who knew anything about cooking. Yamamoto helped more than he could ever know.)

It was while he was on his way home after a morning shift at a small coffee shop that Tsuna bumped into his old former bully, and they had sat, gotten a coffee, and chatted. Kensuke had apologized for everything he had done when they were kids, and explained that the only reason he had done any of it was because he was struggling with being gay, and he didn't know how to deal with Tsuna being as cute as he was. So rather than confess his feelings that society told him were wrong to have, he hurt Tsuna and hid everything he felt behind a wall of despair and self hatred. He asked Tsuna out on a date then, asking for another chance, and hopefully to get to know this Tsuna better than when they were young. Tsuna had agreed, blushed at being called cute, and let the other man pick a time and place.

And now here he sat, having waited for the other man for two hours now, and Tsuna felt a painful mixture of anger and snide disbelief. He really should have seen this coming. After all, not every one changes from their former selves. He had even dressed up for this damnit! Silk dress shirt that was so deep purple it was nearly black, a true black silk vest, a darker orange tie (but still the brightest thing he wore), shirt tucked into black pants that were almost painted onto him. Gokudera had looked him over, whistled and said that if this didn't get Tsuna laid, then nothing would. His shoes were what Tsuna thought were the sexiest thing on him though. Tall, black, and went just above his ankle, his 7'' dagger stiletto heels were what made his outfit complete.

(What? Men couldn't wear heels? He was 5'5'', damnit, he needed them to feel like he was a normal height. And besides, they made him feel sexy.)

He reopened his cell and sent a text to Gokudera.

 _Tsuna: He fucking stood me up!_

Before Tsuna could get a reply, however, he heard footsteps coming up behind him, purposeful albeit nervous, and the brunette looked up. He wasn't sure if he was more ticked off or relieved that it wasn't Kensuke, since either way he wasn't able to beat the bastard into the floor. In public anyway. (Another great thing about dagger stiletto's was that they doubled as weapons when used right.) The kid that had walked up to Tsuna, however, looked maybe 16, and the baggy uniform told Tsuna that this was his first job, and probably his first week, seeing how poorly the uniform fit him. And Tsuna was right about how nervous the poor thing was, too, because he started stuttering rather than talking in intelligent sentences. Tsuna waited for the boy to gather himself properly. Thankfully, for everyone, he didn't have to wait too long.

"OK, I don't want to sound rude, but my manager has asked that you actually order a meal, or close your tab." Daisuke, as his name tag read, shuddered as he met Tsuna's eyes. The brunette couldn't blame the kid though. Between being asked to force a customer out, and actually kicking him out while being glared at (because Tsuna knew he could never fully reign in his ire when he when truly pissed about something, a personality tic he adapted from both his father and Reborn) the kid held himself together remarkably well.

Tsuna sighed, his phone going off in his hand. "Do you have to bring the bill to the table, or can I meet it at the door?" He asked as he took a final swig of his cooling, near cold now, coffee. (It was horrible anyway.) Daisuke's face lit up.

"I-I can meet you at the door!" Tsuna nodded and the boy took off, presumably to close out Tsuna's 'dinner' tab. It consisted of two cold drinks, a hot coffee, and a garlic bread appetizer; a pathetically small bill for such a fancy restaurant. He sighed again, glanced at the text from Gokudera, asking if he could go hunt and kill his would-be date, and pulled out his debit card. No use pulling the big card out for this meagre amount.

On his way to the front, however, his eye was drawn to a man sitting all on his own at a booth just like his, staring at his phone, just as Tsuna had; a man Tsuna had thought he would never see again. He shot a quick text to Gokudera, telling him that something interesting happened and he would be home later. (And no, he could not go hunt, kill or otherwise maim the man, thankful that he had never actually given any name to go off of.)

"This seat taken?" Tsuna asked sweetly, tilting his head to the side as he stood leaning gently against the wood of the table. Xanxus of Varia looked up at him, and his blood red eyes roamed over Tsuna with a hunger the brunette had never felt before. Their eyes met and Tsuna nearly melted into the seat across from him.

* * *

Xanxus glared at his phone, attempting to change the text written on the screen with his mind. He had brought someone he had cared for with him on a vacation away from being a crime lord, and said 'someone' had sent a text – a _fucking text_ of all things! – ending whatever this thing was between them. Said that they were going back to Italy without the man, and that Xanxus should be able to relax better without them there in the way. Xanxus had brought the man with him to ask him out damn it! Not to be dumped and ditched in a tiny town in the middle of fucking nowhere, Japan!

Just as he was contemplating what to do now (go to the bar or actually eat something, then go to the bar?) a voice sweeter than honey, deep but still melodic, drifted to his ears and Xanxus froze. Was that meant for him?

"This seat taken?"

Xanxus looked up, slowly, trailing his eyes up this sinfully gorgeous person. He had always had a thing for nice, tall high heels, but he never liked the girls wearing them; though the voice that had asked him about the seat had definitely been male. Long legs in tight, _tight_ pants melded with a long, lean torso, and _fuck_ this guy was so hot, Xanxus was already painfully hard in his pants. His eyes met with a warm honey brown and he knew this guy, but where the hell had he seen him before? His brain made a connection to a name just as this beautiful man slid elegantly into the seat in front of him.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi, is that you?" Xanxus asked incredulously because the brat he remembered from three years ago did _not_ look like this. The man's face lit up in a bright yet sultry smile, and, yeah, Xanxus liked that smile. (Not that he would admit it; Xanxus was a man many feared! He had a reputation damnit, and no smile, no matter how perfect, would bring him to his knees... even if he wanted to. Because for this guy, he would. Fuck he would go down in a heartbeat.)

"Yeah, it's me. It's good to see you again, Xanxus." Tsuna looked down at the table, taking in how clean it looked, especially with the lack of plates, and added, "You haven't eaten yet, right?"

For some reason, Xanxus' mouth just wouldn't work right, and he simply nodded. Yeah, he hadn't eaten. That smile came back and oh, yeah, that was why Xanxus couldn't talk right, he was bewitched by this guy – Sawada Tsunayoshi.

"Oh, good." Tsuna said with a small laugh, "I've not eaten either. Shall we order something? On me, of course." And with that, Tsuna waved down the young server he had been talking to earlier, asking for two menus, and to re-open his tab. Daisuke looked confused, but did as told, if not a little awkwardly. Xanxus looked over the menu in his hands, already knowing what he wanted to order, and looked back at Tsuna.

"On you, huh?" he asked, the barest hint of mischief in his eyes. Tsuna nodded, a smile gracing his lips. And, well, who was Xanxus to turn down free food?

"Alright, then. I'll join you." Xanxus said, keeping a smile of his own off his face. He was the boss of an assassination group, not someone who smiled easily for a pretty face. When the shaky kid from earlier came back, Xanxus ordered a triple of their best whisky, no ice, and a Filet Minion with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. Tsuna ordered another coke and plate of chicken and bacon Fettuccine Alfredo. Daisuke nodded and took their orders back to the chef. It was, ironically, an Italian restaurant.

"So, what brings a powerful man like yourself to little Namimori?" Tsuna asked, tilting his head to the side and peering at the man in question. Xanxus shrugged.

"Vacation. A trip around the world to see all the little towns." he responded truthfully.

Tsuna nodded. "All by yourself?"

Xanxus tensed, his scowl coming back as he thought back to the text. "I am now." He sneered in distaste at the device just to his left and listened to Tsuna's soft sigh.

"Dumped by call or text?"

"Text." Xanxus looked up to watch Tsuna flinch, wincing in sympathy.

"My condolences." he said in a low tone. Xanxus offered a half shrug, looking up as the shaky teen came back, another server walking behind him. They both carried drinks, their original kid was carrying Tsuna's and the other with what looked like Xanxus' higher quality whisky.

"I apologize for the slight delay, here are your drinks."

"What the hell? Can't carry a whisky?" Xanxus asked the kid as he sat Tsuna's drink down.

"Oh, Um..."

*"Xanxus," Tsuna interrupted. "He's about 16. Here in Japan, you can't serve alcohol until age 18. And you can't consume it until 23." He took a sip of his coke. "Which is why there isn't any Rum in this."

"Really? That sucks." Xanxus watched the older server set his whisky down in front of him. Xanxus grabbed it and swallowed the whole glass before they left, handing the empty glass to the elder woman. "Another. Triple."

She blinked, confused, and took the glass. "Of course, sir. It'll just be a moment."

Tsuna laughed at her retreating back. "Why not just grab the whole bottle?"

"Tempting offer." Xanxus smirked at Tsuna, and the younger man grinned.

"What about you? Why are you here in Namimori?" Xanxus wasn't even sure why he had asked, but since Tsuna said he was going to pay for his dinner, and his whisky, then why not? He got another laugh for his question.

"Oh, I'm from here. This is my home town; born and raised."

"Really? I knew you were from Japan from your horrible accent, but what a coincidence."

Tsuna switched to Italian with a pout, _"Excuse you. My accent is minimal at best, thank you."_

Xanxus snorted a laugh, "Your accent is worse than mine in French." He said in mentioned language, mocking Tsuna and drawing a real laugh from him. Xanxus found he liked the way the sound rolled off of him like the emotion was felt through his whole body.

Again, Xanxus had to fight off a smile of his own. He had to bite down on his cheek to stop it.

"What about the restaurant though? Come here often?" Xanxus asked as the smaller brunette sobered from his laughter.

"Ohh that sounds like a pick-up line." He laughed. Xanxus growled, lips turning up in a sneer.

"Alright, geeze, calm down." Tsuna said as he leaned back. He contemplated his answer a moment and with a sigh he decided to the truth. "I'm here for a date that stood me up." Xanxus raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Someone stood you up, looking as hot as you do?"

Tsuna lifted his own eyebrow in response. "'As hot as I do'?"

Xanxus didn't blush at his slip up, but only just by sheer will-power and nothing more. He didn't regret it though, because he got to watch Tsuna light up a bright pink under the low light as Xanxus nodded.

"Well... thank you." Tsuna said, proud that he didn't stutter. He had had a stutter after his mother's melt down that was so bad he could hardly speak Japanese. (Reborn had to coax it out of him, and he was almost gentle when he did it, too! 'Weird' was putting it mildly.)

Tsuna took to watching Xanxus as the female server came back with the man's drink, watching as the woman, maybe 25 or 26, tried to flirt with Xanxus, and how she was shut down almost immediately with a grunt. And she was gorgeous too, long flowing brown hair, deep green eyes, and a body most women would die for. A perfect hourglass figure in a tight and short black uniform dress. (Tsuna was gay, not blind. He could tell when a woman was beautiful.)

Xanxus turned away from her the moment he had his whisky.

Tsuna's intuition told him many things that saved him trouble many times over the years, and though there were times he didn't listen to it (agreeing to a date with Mochida Kensuke was one), Tsuna knew this was one time he probably should listen to it. So, Tsuna cocked his head to the side as the woman tried to get Xanxus' attention again, and said lightly,

"Yeah, the guy asked me on a date, and he hasn't shown up. I even wore my best outfit for this, too!" He tacked a pout on the end, hoping to entice the man into maybe looking his way, and was reworded with a spark of interest in Xanxus' eyes as he sipped on his whisky. With a smirk Tsuna realized wasn't completely murderous, Xanxus leaned forward.

"Well, sucks to be him."

The woman looked between the two of them, let out a depressed sigh and muttered something about checking on their food. Tsuna watched her go, a little sympathetic to her, but his attention was back to the man in front of him in a second.

"Yeah, well. Maybe it's not all bad."

"How so?" Was that a little bit of hope in Xanxus' eyes that Tsuna saw?

"Well..." Tsuna leaned forward, extending his hand across the table to gently stroke the larger man's hand, "I waited for a loser who never showed up, and found myself sitting across someone who is far more attractive and interesting than he could ever be." Tsuna took a moment to marvel the scars on the man's hand before darting his eyes up to Xanxus' face. The man's expression wasn't at all what Tsuna had thought it would be.

Rather than flattered, or joyed, or any other positive emotion Tsuna thought would be on the man's face after being complemented, Xanxus looked pensive, withdrawn, like he would much rather be anywhere but here with Tsuna. His eye brows drawn in, the man wasn't looking at Tsuna at all. He looked back out at the rest of the restaurant, his eyes trailing over the populace, watching them instead.

"Xanxus?" Tsuna cocked his head to the side, his hand gripping the larger man's for a moment. Xanxus let his fingers tangle with Tsuna's as his eyes narrowed sadly. Then he shook his head, ripped his hand away like Tsuna was burning him, downed the rest of his whisky and stood up.

" _I'll be right back."_ he muttered in Italian, probably by accident. Tsuna watched the man go, wondering if he had said something wrong, arm still stretched across the table – though it hung loose like a string after it was cut. And Tsuna took to waiting for the man to come back, even as he disappeared behind the opposite side of the restaurant, where the main doors were. Even as his food arrived ten minutes later. Tsuna waited for the man as his food started to go cold in front of him.

15 minutes.

He checked his phone. 20 minutes. Tsuna refused to let tears gather in his eyes. After all, it was only his second rejection of the night. Bullies from years ago, from the last time he was in Namimori, before his mother's break down, yelled a phrase in his head that haunted his nightmares.

" _Dame-Tsuna! You'll never be loved! No one wants you!"_

"Sh-shit." Tsuna brought his hand up to his face to wipe at a tear he swore he couldn't cry right now. Not like this. Not just because he was rejected. Twice... in the same night... another tear followed the first, and Tsuna scowled without trying to wipe at it. Silk wouldn't do much for tears anyway.

But then a miracle happened.

Xanxus slid into his seat, looking down at the food and set the rather large bottle of whisky on the table next to his glass. He still wouldn't look up at Tsuna, but he came back, and for just that moment, Tsuna was able to stint the voices in the back of his head. Because maybe, just maybe, he could be wanted, even though he was just Dame-Tsuna.

"Food looks good." Xanxus commented, still not looking up at the other man. Tsuna looked down at his food, swallowed the lump in his throat, coughed to get his words past it, and said meekly,

"Yeah." _'This is so embarrassing.'_ Tsuna thought. His eyes were probably red, his cheeks damp, voice all fucked up. Damn it. Fucking emotions. Tsuna decided his best bet was to ignore his current state and take a bite of his cooling food, twirling the noddles around the fork and lifting it to his mouth-

"You were crying."

Tsuna froze with the simple phrase, but offered a half shrug. "I was." he admitted quietly. He took his bite of food, slightly chilled, but still good.

"You didn't think I'd come back."

"Shut up, and eat." Tsuna said quietly, voice trembling slightly.

"I... Made you cry." Xanxus sounded somewhat saddened by that and Tsuna chanced a look up. Xanxus still looked pensive, but he had lost that withdrawn look. And he was looking at Tsuna, meeting Tsuna's gaze with a determination that made Tsuna's heart flutter.

"I wasn't going to come back." Xanxus said quickly as he looked down at the plate in front of him. He nearly ripped a piece of his stake off and shoved it into his mouth, not savouring the flavour at all.

"You weren't?" Xanxus shook his head and took another bite of food, ignoring the way Tsuna's gaze bore into his skull. "S-so... why did you?"

Xanxus glanced up at Tsuna, taking in the way the other looked back down at his food when their eyes met, and took a chance.

"I realized I was acting childish." He paused to take a deep breath. "No one..." Tsuna looked up at him, eyes still red-rimmed and slightly watery and it made Xanxus' once-frozen heart hurt to see. So, he looked down at his food and continued. "No ones ever said that I was attractive and interesting before, and meant it. I've had people tell me that I'm hot, but they all just want me for my power and money. I'm not..." Xanxus stopped and took another bite of food, letting his sentence hang in the air between them.

Tsuna took a moment to contemplate the man's words, chewing slowly. He picked up Xanxus' large bottle of whisky, making the other man look up at him, and dumped a shots' worth into his coke, stirring it his his straw and taking a sip.

"That is good whisky." Tsuna hummed, pouring the golden liquid into Xanxus' smaller cup. "By the way," Tsuna said, watching the liquid rather than the man, "How attractive do you think you are?"

Xanxus choked on his food. "What?" he growled out, grabbing the whisky Tsuna just poured him and gulping down a large pull. Tsuna waited for the man to be breath normally before he continued.

"Yeah." he said easily. "Like, on a scale of 1-10. I think I'm a five, but I can push a seven if I'm trying. Like tonight, for instance." he spreed his arms out to his sides, as if demonstrating something, before lowering them again. "I know I'm not really hot, but I also know that I can be close if-"

"What the fuck kind of logic is that?" Xanxus asked, frankly appalled by Tsuna's apparent thoughts on himself. Tsuna was devastatingly hot, it was part of the reason Xanxus came back after all. He was way more than a fucking number on a scale.

Tsuna flinched back with the interruption, taking the man's words to mean he wasn't attractive, even if he tired. He couldn't stop his shoulders from slumping down in dismay, or the way his arms tightened around his body. "Oh... Never mind then." Tsuna heard the other man sigh.

"Not... not like that." Xanxus sighed again as Tsuna refused to look up again. He nudged his foot at Tsuna's under the table. "I just don't think using a numbered system like that is very healthy. Or accurate."

"How so?" Tsuna asked as he looked up from under his eyelashes, unknowingly causing Xanxus' heart to skip.

"Well," Xanxus began, settling back against the bench and taking a bite of his near cold steak. He really should have come back sooner. "Following that 1-10 logic, to me you are at least a 12. If not higher." He watched as Tsuna's face practically exploded in a deep red blush, and he let out a (very small) satisfied smile.

"Like I said. Not accurate – depending on who is using it. You don't believe you're as beautiful as you really are."

"B-b-beautiful?" The word was strangled in Tsuna's throat, but it was said loud enough for the other man to hear. Xanxus nodded.

" _Absolutely stunning."_ Xanxus said in Italian, hoping to get the point across better. In unison, they took a pause in their conversation to focus on their food. Tsuna was trying to remember how to breath properly, Xanxus was trying to get a read on the younger male.

In truth, Xanxus really wasn't going to come back. He had left the restaurant, and started walking to his hotel when his phone went off in his pocket. He didn't know why he picked up, but he had been greeted by the man he had invited in the first god damn place. He talked to Squalo, told him the truth, and the other man told him his truth as well.

To Squalo, Xanxus was a leader, a friend, but not a lover. Sex, specifically with Xanxus, scared him. So he had left, and he was ashamed of himself for it. So he had called to make sure he was still the man's friend and to apologize, or get as close to an apology as the man could before he gagged. Xanxus wasn't sure what it was that made him confide in Squalo after the man had left him high and dry, but he did, explaining everything that had happened, from Tsuna showing up and taking a seat, to him running away just because a couple nice words were thrown his way.

Squalo yelled at him for being a child, said that even being in the ice for 8 years was no excuse for it, and that he should go back and see if the younger brunette would take him back. The silverette even said aloud that he had always thought the two of them were perfectly opposite, and that they matched because of it.

Xanxus hadn't been sure what to say to that, so he just hung up the phone and darted back to the restaurant, silently hoping and praying that he hadn't fucked things up too badly. He grabbed a good bottle of whisky from the bar before he got back to his table - he felt he needed it to continue any conversation with the brunette.

"You still haven't answered my question." Tsuna blurted, his words bringing Xanxus back to the present.

"Yes, I did." Xanxus lied easily.

Tsuna watched the man as he ate, an idea coming to him. "You... don't actually think you're attractive, do you, Xanxus?" It was a statement – only phrased as a question. Rhetorical. Tsuna wanted a response all the same. So he stared the man down, not looking down at his food, even as he ate it. Xanxus was a strong and powerful man.

He lasted a whole minute.

"I know I'm not all that good looking, alright? I've got scars all over my body, and following your stupid ass 1-10 logic, I'm a two. Three at best, alright-"

"No, you're not."

Xanxus scowled. "What? Not what?"

Tsuna watched the man, watched the horrible pensive look come back into his eyes and realized he had misidentified the emotion. He wasn't pensive. He was hating on himself; disbelieving he was attractive in any sense of the word, and feeling unworthy of attention in any other way.

"You are not that low. I'll admit that I only use that stupid sliding scale because I'm used letting other people take me down a peg, while they raise them selves up. It makes them happy, and that makes me happy. It's all I've ever known. But Xanxus." Tsuna set down his fork and stood to lean over the table, bending his waist at a perfect 90 degree angle and taking the other man's hands in his. Xanxus dropped his fork and knife, letting the other man take his hands away from his food. Tsuna was so close, all Xanxus wanted to do was drag him down from the table top and pull him into his lap, maybe kiss him stupid, maybe just fuck him, Xanxus wasn't sure yet.

"You are so, so handsome. These scars on your face only add to how amazing you look. They don't take that from you. You have so much power and confidence, and fucking hell, Xanxus, confidence is so sexy. _Especially_ on a man like you."Tsuna leaned back and spoke again in Italian, letting his point come across in the same way Xanxus did.

" _You are absolutely stunning."_ Tsuna sat down with a blush as deep red as the man's beautiful eyes, kept the man's hands in his, and continued. _"If I'm being honest, you're actually what made me realize that I'm gay."_

" _I am?"_ Xanxus asked, both in confusion and flattery. Tsuna nodded.

" _You are. I couldn't get my mind off of you. Your smile, the way you talked, the way walked, like you owned everything; like the world was yours to play with and all I could think, even though I knew you were honestly trying to kill me, all I could think was how beautiful you were as you fought. Maybe I'm insane for thinking it, but you were... you are still my first male crush."_

Xanxus knew his ears were a bright red as he blushed. To think he, Xanxus, leader of the assassination group the Varia, and assassin himself, would blush from just a few words spoken in a slightly accented version of his mother tongue. And then Tsuna continued and made Xanxus' heart skip again. The younger brunette started slowly and his own blush deepened as each word fell from his lips.

" _Xanxus, you are a very sexy and alluring man. So much so that, if we weren't in public, and there wasn't a table between us, I would very much be in your lap, kissing you senseless."_

Xanxus was holding Tsuna's hands in a white knuckled grip by the time the brunette ended his sentence. It took the man a minute, but he managed to let Tsuna's hands go and let him finish his food and (illegally spiked) drink with a quick vigour.

"Sh-shall we go?" Tsuna asked even as he waved down the young sever. "Bill, please!" he called once Daisuke was close enough. The young man nodded and darted away to gather the bill for them. Xanxus looked down at his mostly finished plate and stuffed the last two bites of steak into his mouth, not bothering with the mashed potatoes or the vegetables. He picked up the bottle of whisky and squared his shoulders, swallowing down the last half of the bottle in 4 long pulls. He looked back into Tsuna's blinking, wide eyes.

"You know, I never though I'd say this about someone drinking half a bottle of whisky in 2 seconds, but that was hot." Xanxus stifled a laugh with a smirk as the kid came back.

"I'll take it!" Tsuna said as he gathered the bill in his hand and held it out of Xanxus' reach.

"Tsuna, I'll get it." Xanxus said, though he more growled it like a threat than a request, or an order. Tsuna smiled and held the bill closer.

"No, I'll get it. I'm the one who got you to order food anyway, and I joined you without an invitation. It's the least I can do. Besides, I already said when I sat down that it was my treat." he said as he pulled out his credit card. Xanxus sighed.

"I ordered the most expensive thing, it's fine. Hand it over." Xanxus held out his hand and, unexpectedly, Tsuna took it, turning his hand over as the younger man brought it closer to his lips and brushed a kiss over the man's knuckles. Lips still hovering over the other man's hand, Tsuna looked up at Xanxus with half lidded eyes, and the erection Xanxus had forgotten came back full force, sending a slight tremor of need up his spine. The foot sliding up the inside of his thigh was not helping anything.

" _It's alright. Let me take good care of you."_ Tsuna whispered with a wink, and what were they talking about again? Xanxus couldn't seem to remember. Before he could respond, however, they were interrupted by an obnoxious-sounding 'What the fuck?' and Tsuna looked up with a sneer.

"Oh, Kensuke, how... _wonderful_ of you to finally show up." Tsuna inserted as much sarcasm as he could into the word 'wonderful' and reluctantly let Xanxus' hand go.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Kensuke asked with a sneer of his own. "I asked you on a date. Not who ever the fuck this guy is." he gestured at Xanxus and Tsuna slid his foot up again in an attempt to calm the man's rage. It worked for the most part, as the only thing Xanxus let out was a menacing, low growl that Tsuna felt through the fucking air. (How Kensuke didn't feel that was beyond Tsuna.)

"I'm only a little late, anyway. Hell, you should be grateful I even came."

Something inside Tsuna snapped, and although he kept his smile firmly in place, Xanxus could feel his murderous rage as he slipped into standing next to the table, pulling up close to whoever this idiot was and towering over him in his heels.

"A little late?" Tsuna's voice was low, but no less dangerous, and Xanxus watched in cold fascination as the other man seemed to finally understand how pissed off Tsuna was. "Xan, what time is it?" Tsuna asked sweetly, not yet looking away from the other man. Xanxus raised his eyebrow at the pet-name, but pulled out his phone anyway.

"Almost 9:30."

"Nine thirty. That means that you are _three_ _and a half_ _hours_ late. 'A little' doesn't even cover it, Kensuke!"

"Well, what do you expect? I got held up at work, and it's not like I have your number to call or text you to let you know I was going to be late!"

"What do I expect? I _expect_ that the guy who asks me out on a first date is on time! I _expect_ my date to realize they asked me to dinner at a high end place, and _not_ show up in track pants and a dirty, off-with T-shirt! I _expect_ a little fucking respect! And before you even try it, you could have called the restaurant and asked them about me. They could have, at the very least, passed on a message for you!"

Most of the restaurant was staring at them and though Xanxus was no stranger to making a scene, he wondered if Tsuna was doing this intentionally. After all, the other man seemed in need of the humiliation. Kensuke sneered back.

"Shut up!" He whispered tightly, loud enough that Tsuna and Xanxus both heard him. "There are people in here that I don't want to know that I'm gay, alright? You get that don't you?"

Tsuna smirked, and replied very loudly, "Really? Mochida Kensuke likes sucking cock? That's awesome!" Kensuke flinched back and Tsuna leaned a little closer, continuing in the same tone and volume. "If you like sucking cock so much, why don't you go suck a fat one right now?!"

Kensuke's sneer took on a horrified hint to it, and though feint due to the lighting and the man's naturally tan skin, he blushed.

"How dare you be so petty?" He said, low and angered.

"How dare you show up looking homeless to a 5-star restaurant, for a date with _me_."

Kensuke pulled back like he'd been slapped, his face pinching in true anger. "Don't speak to me like that, Dame-Tsu–"

Before Kensuke could finish his sentence, a thin heel blew past his face, slicing open his cheek in a small and thin line, blood welling and spilling down his skin in three small beads. Kensuke had seen battle with strong opponents before, in a ring at nationals, but no one he had faced had been this blood thirsty. No one had been that fast, either. Seriously, when the hell did Tsunayoshi move his leg up to his shoulder?

"I threw away that nick name when I left Namimori, and you will never bring it back up. Understand that if you do, I will push my heel the rest of the way through your eye socket." Tsuna applied a little pressure to Kensuke's shoulder, "Down." He commanded through his teeth.

Mochida Kensuke, 20 years old, national Kendo champion three years running, crumbled to the floor as if his legs had stopped working. With a fear in his eyes he hadn't shown anyone since he was 6 and facing his father in the Dojo for the first time, Kensuke looked up into Tsuna's eyes.

"Give me your hand." Was his next command and the older man held out his hand without hesitation, too afraid to not do as told. Tsuna leaned over, placed something paper-like in his hand and forced his fingers around it. The demon in heels spoke lowly, as if sharing a secret.

"I'll promise you something. You pay this bill for me and my date, and I'll let you go. If you don't pay it, I'll make you pay it in blood." Tsuna straightened and withdrew his foot from Kensuke's shoulder. "So, what'll it be? Cash? Credit? Or-"

"C-Credit. I have a credit card, right here." Without taking his eyes off Tsuna, Kensuke pulled his wallet from his back pocket, handing the entire thing over to Tsuna without fuss. Tsuna took the wallet, pulling out Kensuke's credit card and all his cash and handed the card to Daisuke.

"Hand the young man the bill." Tsuna said in a highly annoyed voice. Kensuke shoved the bill at Daisuke, and the teen bolted away to pay the bill, returning with the receipt less than a minute of awkward silence later. Tsuna finally pulled his eyes away from Kensuke to count the money in his hand, making a face as he totalled it.

"Pitiful amount," he looked back at Kensuke, "Though with who it's coming from, I suppose it's more than expected." He dismissed the man and turned to Daisuke fully, a small smile on his lips as he handed the cash over.

"Here's your tip, have a good night, Daisuke-kun." Tsuna smiled wider and turned back to Xanxus, watching with those incredibly sexy and hungry eyes. "Ready for dessert?"

"Fuck yes."

Tsuna laughed as he led the man out, taking his hand and dropping Kensuke's wallet in his lap as they passed him, still on the floor.

Xanxus wrapped an arm around Tsuna's waist as they exited the restaurant, the man pulling Tsuna close as they walked. Tsuna found himself snuggling into the man's side, only a little nervous about walking with Xanxus towards what he assumed was the man's hotel room. Tsuna was still a virgin, hopefully the man would be gentle. As they neared the main street, however, Xanxus paused and pulled Tsuna to a stop with him. Tsuna turned to Xanxus with narrowed eyes, a cocked head, a question on his lips.

"Xanxus?"

Xanxus sighed, looking anywhere but Tsuna. Was he... nervous? "Look, I don't usually put out on the first date." He looked pointedly at Tsuna then. "No matter how hot my date is." Tsuna looked down to hide his blush and smile, secretly glad Xanxus had said it first.

"Usually." Xanxus continued. "But for you, I might break that. You're different. I get the feeling you're not in it just to get at my dick or my money." he said with a smirk.

Tsuna couldn't completely stop the snort of laughter that left him, and instead just brought up his arms; one over his stomach and the other bringing a hand over his mouth as he looked away. He shifted his weight to one foot and said lightly, "No, no I'm not in it for that." He glanced down at Xanxus' crotch and back up, "Well, not _just_ for that." he added with a wink. He paused to take in the leer in Xanxus' eyes as he shifted his weight again, before sobering and bringing his hands behind his back. He took a small step forward into Xanxus' space and spoke quietly.

"I'm actually glad you said that you don't usually have sex on the first date." he whispered as he looked up into Xanxus' eyes.

"And why is that?" the older man whispered back, his breath ghosting across Tsuna's face.

"Because I'm Virgin, and I'm not 100% sure I'm ready to give it up yet." Tsuna leaned back and took in the surprise on Xanxus' face.

"Shit, really?"

Tsuna pouted. "What really?"

"You're so hot! It's just hard to take in, that's all." Xanxus looked away. "Damn."

"Well, it's not exactly easy to have sex when your father is Homophobic and extremely over protective. I couldn't get out enough to make a friend, let alone find someone to fuck me." Tsuna said with narrowed eyes. Xanxus looked back at him and cringed.

"Seriously? I didn't take him as Homophobic. That's... unfortunate."

Tsuna sighed, "What can you do? I'm just here to avoid him until I can either tell him to fuck off, or he finds out I'm gay." They stood there for another minute before Xanxus offered his arm for Tsuna to take.

"Come on, I'll walk you home." Tilting his head to the side a little more, Tsuna smiled softly and wrapped both his arms around the offered limb, snuggling up to the man.

* * *

Tsuna had no idea why, since this wasn't an actual date, but Xanxus had insisted he walk the smaller man home.

"You know I could have walked myself home, right?" Tsuna said just as he pulled them to a stop outside his building. Xanxus nodded and pulled lightly on Tsuna's hand.

"Yeah, I know. But I wanted to walk you home." He pulled on Tsuna's hand again, wrapping one arm around his waist once close enough.

Tsuna came easily into the larger man's hold, his heels making him only an inch shorter than Xanxus. He tilted his head to the side coyly, the smile on his face betraying the sarcasm in his next words. "Why ever would you want to walk me home?"

Xanxus let Tsuna's hand go and brought it up to the back of Tsuna's head instead, and Tsuna knew what he was about to do. As that monstrous hand threaded fingers through his hair and pulled lightly, forcing Tsuna's head up to meet the other man's lips, Tsuna could only shudder in anticipation. Xanxus paused just before their lips touched and hummed.

"I wonder..." He responded, and with a growl, Tsuna tightened his grip in Xanxus' shirt and pulled himself up to meet the man's lips. A noise of obvious surprise left Xanxus' mouth, only to be swallowed by Tsuna's as their tongues meet and danced, and holy _fuck_ this was actually happening! Tsuna could hardly believe that this was real.

The first time Tsuna had met Xanxus, he had thought for sure that he was going to die by the man's hands. Now, as Tsuna's heart beat hard in his chest and breathing was a rather difficult task, Tsuna thought that he might die by the man's kiss. Xanxus was a man known for his power, his anger, his terrible strength, and his Wrath, but Tsuna suddenly found all of that so hard to believe because those hands held him so gently. Sure, the grip on his hip and the back of his head was firm, but not at all bruising or crushing. Tsuna likened it to a firm caress, especially the way the man's fingers messaged his scalp.

One of Tsuna's hands let go of Xanxus' shirt and slid up around the man's neck, tilting his head to get a better angle on the kiss. Xanxus' response was to move his own hand from Tsuna's hip to the small of the shorter man's back, pulling him in closer. They pulled apart for air and Tsuna found he couldn't talk for a good, long minute.

"H-how long will you be in Namimori?" Tsuna asked as he finally found his voice. But when the hell was the last time he stuttered so much in one evening? Holy crap.

But then the most amazing thing happened, something that flustered Tsuna more than that kiss. Xanxus pressed his head gently against Tsuna's forehead, closed his eyes while he panted, just as out of breath from the kiss as the smaller brunette, and smiled. He smiled – he _actually_ smiled! Not a smirk, and not a murderous tilt to his lips either. A genuine and true smile, and Tsuna's heart melted at the sight of it.

"That depends." The man finally muttered. "When do you think you'll be moving back to Italy?" Tsuna's heart stuttered at the man's implications.

"U-um..." His stuttering seemed to have worsened too. "I-I'll be here another year, a-at least. If not more." His words died on his tongue, but he tried again after a panicked moment. "But probably more."

Xanxus chuckled, and with the way Tsuna was still held tight to the older man's body, he could feel the vibrations all over. "Then I'll be here another year, at least. If not more." He paused to bring his lips back to Tsuna's for a moment, letting the touch linger as he continued, "But probably more."

Tsuna was glad Xanxus had such a good grip on him just then, since the words made his knees give out and Tsuna was sure if he was standing on his own, he would have fallen over. Then his stupid mouth had to go and continue talking despite wanting nothing more than to kiss Xanxus again.

"What about the Varia? You can't run it without-" Xanxus cut Tsuna off with another heart stopping kiss. He pulled back after another moment, bringing his lips up to kiss Tsuna's forehead with such a gentle passion Tsuna nearly fainted.

"I think I'll manage."

* * *

What do you think? I think I have a problem. R&R?

* I don't know if this is a real thing in Japan, but it is in Canada. Only the ages are a little off.


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